1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cable-stripping tool.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known devices/tools for cable stripping are of a kind having first and second parts which are movable linearly towards and away from each other, a cutting blade which is carried by the first part, a support element which is carried by the first part, an abutment which is carried by the second part, and spring means which mutually bias the first and second parts in their relative movement directions. Using a through-passing opening provided for receiving a cable, such cable can be inserted between the abutment and the cutting blade when the first and second parts are mutually displaced in their respective directions against the bias of the spring element, such that the cable is clamped between the abutment on the one hand and the cutting blade on the other hand when the tool is relieved of load. The distance between the cutting blade and the adjacent part of the support element defines the depth to which the cutting blade penetrates the cable, and at least one of the first and second parts is ring-shaped.
Cable-stripping devices of the aforesaid kind are known from GB-A-22 15 143 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,009 for instance. Such devices/tools include two parts which are movable linearly in relation to each other and which carry respectively an abutment means and a cutting blade with an associated cable support that restricts the cutting depth of the blade. Biasing means urge the parts towards each other, so that a cable placed between the abutment means and the blade will be clamped against the blade. Tools of this kind function to establish a radial cut around the cable. The tool has a finger opening spaced from a tool guide that receives the cable, so that a user can readily twist the tool, and therewith the blade, around the cable.
One drawback with the known tools is that they are relatively difficult to open against the spring bias, in order to allow insertion of a cable to be stripped. For instance, GB-A 22 15 143 teaches spring means that bias the linearly movable main parts of the tool towards one another. In order to open the tool, the user needs to move the tool parts apart, which is difficult to achieve even though one part of the tool can be gripped and the other part has a projection/dogging element that enables the second part to be pressed away from the first part with the thumb of the hand gripping the tool.